scholarly journals The relationships of lifetime physical activity and diet with salivary cell telomere length in current ultra-endurance exercisers

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Karen Birkenhead ◽  
Anna Kuballa ◽  
Geoff P. Lovell ◽  
Susan I. Barr ◽  
Colin Solomon
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Telomere Length ◽  
Endurance Exercise ◽  
Dna Sequences ◽  
Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction ◽  
Food Category ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Salivary Cell ◽  
Ultra Endurance ◽  
Age Range

BACKGROUND: Physical activity and a healthy diet may delay the aging process and ultra-endurance exercise is an extreme form of physical activity. Telomeres are protective DNA sequences located at the ends of eukaryotic chromosomes which shorten as we age. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationships of lifetime physical activity and diet with salivary cell telomere length in current ultra-endurance exercisers (n = 49; %female = 37, age range 26–74 years). METHODS: Physical activity and dietary intake were measured using the Lifetime Physical Activity and Diet Questionnaire (LPADQ) and salivary cell telomere length was measured using quantitative polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: In this group of current ultra-endurance exercisers there was no relationship between lifetime physical activity or diet (according to food category scores) and telomere length. In contrast to the expected age-related decrease in telomere length, there was no relationship between age and telomere length (95%confidence interval [CI]: –38.86, 14.54, p = 0.359) in this group of current ultra-endurance exercisers. CONCLUSIONS: The relationships of lifetime physical activity and diet with telomere length remain uncertain. It is possible that lifetime physical activity (including ultra-endurance exercise) and lifetime diet may independently, or in combination, contribute to a decrease in the rate of age-related telomere shortening in current ultra-endurance exercisers. ultra-endurance exercisers.

scholarly journals TERRA: A Novel Biomarker of Embryo Quality and Art Outcome

Genes ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 475
Author(s):  
Maria Santa Rocca ◽  
Ludovica Dusi ◽  
Andrea Di Nisio ◽  
Erminia Alviggi ◽  
Benedetta Iussig ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Telomere Length ◽  
Dna Sequences ◽  
Male Fertility ◽  
Embryo Quality ◽  
Assisted Reproductive Technologies ◽  
Biological Clock ◽  
Reproductive Technologies ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Non Coding Rna ◽  
First Time

Telomeres are considered to be an internal biological clock, and their progressive shortening has been associated with the risk of age-related diseases and reproductive alterations. Over recent years, an increasing number of studies have focused on the association between telomere length and fertility, identifying sperm telomere length (STL) as a novel biomarker of male fertility. Although typically considered to be repeated DNA sequences, telomeres have recently been shown to also include a long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) known as TERRA (telomeric repeat-containing RNAs). Interestingly, males with idiopathic infertility show reduced testicular TERRA expression, suggesting a link between TERRA and male fertility. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of seminal TERRA expression in embryo quality. To this end, STL and TERRA expression were quantified by Real Time qPCR in the semen of 35 men who underwent assisted reproductive technologies (ART) and 30 fertile men. We found that TERRA expression in semen and STL was reduced in patients that underwent ART (both p < 0.001). Interestingly, TERRA and STL expressions were positively correlated (p = 0.010), and TERRA expression was positively associated with embryo quality (p < 0.001). These preliminary findings suggest a role for TERRA in the maintenance of sperm telomere integrity during gametogenesis, and for the first time, TERRA expression was found as a predictive factor for embryo quality in the setting of assisted reproduction.

scholarly journals Telomere length and its relationships with lifestyle and behavioural factors: variations by sex and race/ethnicity

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chirag M Vyas ◽  
Soshiro Ogata ◽  
Charles F Reynolds ◽  
David Mischoulon ◽  
Grace Chang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Alcohol Consumption ◽  
Telomere Length ◽  
Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction ◽  
Healthy Ageing ◽  
Daily Consumption ◽  
Heavy Smoking ◽  
Potential Biomarker ◽  
Race Ethnicity ◽  
Behavioural Factors

Abstract Background Adherence to healthy lifestyles/behaviours promotes healthy ageing. However, little is known about whether age, sex and/or race/ethnicity moderate associations of lifestyle/behavioural factors with relative telomere length (RTL), a potential biomarker of ageing. Methods We included 749 midlife to older non-Hispanic White (n = 254), Black (n = 248) and Hispanic (n = 247) US participants [mean (standard deviation) age = 69.3 (7.2) years; women: 50.5%]. We extracted genomic DNA from peripheral leucocytes. RTL was assayed using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Multivariable regression was used to examine associations between lifestyle/behavioural exposures (i.e. physical activity, alcohol consumption, smoking and depression) with RTL. Results Increasing chronological age was associated with shorter RTL (P &lt; 0.01). Higher physical activity was associated with longer RTL (P-trend = 0.03); daily versus never/rare alcohol consumption and 30+ versus &lt;5 smoking pack-year were associated with shorter RTLs (P-trend = 0.02). Associations varied significantly by sex and race/ethnicity. The association between physical activity and longer RTL appeared strongest among non-Hispanic Whites (P-interaction = 0.01). Compared to men, women had stronger associations between heavy smoking and shorter RTLs (P-interaction = 0.03). Light/moderate alcohol consumption (monthly/weekly) was associated with longer RTL among non-Hispanic Whites, while daily consumption was related to shorter RTLs among Blacks and Hispanics (P-interactions &lt; 0.01). Associations of daily alcohol and heavy smoking with shorter RTLs were particularly apparent among Black women. Conclusion We observed novel variations by sex and race/ethnicity in associations between lifestyle/behavioural factors and RTL. Further work is needed to replicate these findings and to address potential public health implications for modifying strategies by sex or across racial/ethnic groups to optimise lifestyles/behaviours for healthy ageing.

scholarly journals Paternal knee height, but not smoking or psychosocial stressors, predict offspring telomere length in a cohort in the Philippines

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dan Eisenberg ◽  
Peter H Rej ◽  
Paulita Duazo ◽  
Delia Carba ◽  
M. Geoffrey Hayes ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Telomere Length ◽  
Dna Sequences ◽  
The Philippines ◽  
Paternal Age ◽  
Psychosocial Stressors ◽  
Early Life Adversity ◽  
Biomarkers Of Aging ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Model Research ◽  
Knee Height

Telomeres are repeating DNA sequences found at the ends of chromosomes, which are typically shortened with each cell replication and are considered biomarkers of aging. Contrary to the shortening of telomeres that occurs with age in most human tissues, spermatocyte telomere length (TL) increases with age. These age-related changes in TL appear to be heritable, as offspring of older fathers tend to have longer TL. Animal model research suggests that smoking, inflammation, DNA damage, and environmental stressors may shorten sperm TL, raising questions about the potential for intergenerational effects of paternal experience on human offspring TL. Using multigenerational data from a longitudinal cohort study in the Philippines, we tested if smoking, psychosocial stressors, or shorter knee height (an anthropometric measure of early life adversity) predict shorter offspring TL. While we did not find the predicted associations, we observed a trend towards fathers with shorter knee height and taller non-knee height having offspring with longer TL. In addition, we found that knee height interacted with paternal age at conception to predict offspring TL – i.e. fathers with shorter knee heights showed a stronger positive effect of paternal age at conception on offspring TL. While the reasons for these associations remain uncertain, shorter relative knee height and taller relative non-knee height are characteristics of earlier puberty. Since sperm TL increases with the division of spermatocytes, we speculate that individuals who begin puberty earlier may have had more time to accumulate longer sperm telomeres with age, which are then passed on to offspring.

scholarly journals The effect of long-term ultra-endurance exercise and SOD2 genotype on telomere shortening with age

2020 ◽  
Vol 129 (4) ◽  
pp. 873-879 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barbara Hernando ◽  
Marta Gil-Barrachina ◽  
Elena Tomás-Bort ◽  
Ignacio Martinez-Navarro ◽  
Eladio Collado-Boira ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Inflammatory Response ◽  
Endurance Training ◽  
Telomere Length ◽  
Endurance Exercise ◽  
Biological Aging ◽  
Acute Inflammatory Response ◽  
Telomere Shortening ◽  
Ultra Endurance ◽  
First Time

Habitual ultra-endurance exercise seems to promote telomere length maintenance, especially at older ages. In addition, the beneficial effect of ultra-endurance training on biological aging is higher in ultra-trail runners who have been engaged to ultra-endurance training during many years. Finally, and for the first time, this study shows that the SOD2 rs4880 polymorphism has a significant impact on telomere length, as well as on acute inflammatory response to a 107-km trail race.

Effects of Competitive Triathlon Training on Telomere Length

2019 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 510-514 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcus Colon ◽  
Andrew Hodgson ◽  
Eimear Donlon ◽  
James E.J. Murphy
Keyword(s):  
Telomere Length ◽  
Lactate Threshold ◽  
Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction ◽  
Positive Association ◽  
Running Economy ◽  
Oxygen Intake ◽  
Maximal Oxygen Intake ◽  
Exercise Behaviors ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Mitotic Clock

Telomeres act as a mitotic clock and telomere-related senescence has been linked to age-related physiological decline. There is increasing evidence lifestyle factors can influence telomere length (TL). The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of competitive triathlon training on TL. Seven competitive male triathletes and seven recreationally active males participated in the study. Relative TL was measured using quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Physiological parameters key to athletic performance such as maximal oxygen intake, lactate threshold, and running economy were also measured. Triathletes had longer telomeres than the recreationally active (1.257 ± 0.028 vs. 1.002 ± 0.014; p < .0001). Positive association was found between TL and maximal oxygen intake, lactate threshold, and running economy (R2 = .677, .683, and .696, respectively). This study indicates that competitive triathlon training buffers against age-related telomere shortening, and there is a correlation between exercise behaviors, higher maximal oxygen intake, and TL.

scholarly journals Stress reactivity elicits a tissue-specific reduction in telomere length in ageing zebrafish (Danio rerio)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
James R. Evans ◽  
Jose V. Torres-Pérez ◽  
Maria Elena Miletto Petrazzini ◽  
Riva Riley ◽  
Caroline H. Brennan
Keyword(s):  
Telomere Length ◽  
Stress Reactivity ◽  
Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction ◽  
Heart Tissue ◽  
Telomere Shortening ◽  
Tissue Specific ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Specific Manner ◽  
Polymerase Chain ◽  
The Relationship

ABSTRACTTelomere length reflects cellular ageing. Increased telomere shortening in leukocytes is associated with a range of neurodegenerative and cardiovascular diseases, the onset and progression of which may be mediated by behavioural traits such as anxiety and stress reactivity. However, the effects of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis stress response are shown to be tissue specific. As such, leukocyte telomere length may not give an accurate measure of the relationship between stress-reactivity and telomere length in disease relevant tissues. To test the hypothesis that stress-reactivity contributes to age-related telomere shortening in a tissue specific manner, we examined the correlation between telomere length in heart and brain tissue and stress-reactivity in a population of young (6-9 month) and ageing (18 month) zebrafish. Stress-reactivity was assessed by tank diving, a zebrafish version of the rodent open-field test, and through gene expression. Telomere length was assessed using quantitative polymerase chain reaction. We show that ageing zebrafish have shorter telomeres in both heart and brain. Telomere length is inversely related to stress-reactivity in heart but not brain of ageing individuals. These data support the hypotheses that an anxious predisposition contributes to telomere shortening in heart tissue, and by extension age-related heart disease, and that stress-reactivity contributes to age-related telomere shortening in a tissue-specific manner.

scholarly journals Can telomere length predict bone health? A review of current evidence

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sok Kuan Wong ◽  
Soelaiman Ima-Nirwana ◽  
Kok-Yong Chin
Keyword(s):  
Cell Division ◽  
Telomere Length ◽  
Dna Sequences ◽  
Bone Health ◽  
Bone Cells ◽  
Epidemiological Studies ◽  
Telomere Maintenance ◽  
Current Evidence ◽  
Base Pairs ◽  
Age Related

Telomeres are repetitive DNA sequences located at the end of chromosomes, which serve as a protective barrier against chromosomal deterioration during cell division. Approximately 50–200 base pairs of nucleotides are lost per cell division and new repetitive nucleotides are added by the enzyme telomerase allowing telomere maintenance. Telomere shortening has been proposed as an indicator for biological ageing, but its relationship with age-related osteoporosis is ambiguous. We summarize the current evidence on the relationship between telomere length and bone health in experimental and epidemiological studies, which may serve as a scientific reference for the development of novel diagnostic markers of osteoporosis or novel therapeutics targeting telomere and telomerase in bone cells to treat osteoporosis.

scholarly journals Alternative Lengthening of Telomeres (ALT) in Tumors and Pluripotent Stem Cells

Genes ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 1030 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shuang Zhao ◽  
Feng Wang ◽  
Lin Liu
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cells ◽  
Cancer Cells ◽  
Telomere Length ◽  
Dna Sequences ◽  
Pluripotent Stem Cells ◽  
Telomerase Activity ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Alternative Lengthening ◽  
Damage Response ◽  
Length Regulation

A telomere consists of repeated DNA sequences (TTAGGG)n as part of a nucleoprotein structure at the end of the linear chromosome, and their progressive shortening induces DNA damage response (DDR) that triggers cellular senescence. The telomere can be maintained by telomerase activity (TA) in the majority of cancer cells (particularly cancer stem cells) and pluripotent stem cells (PSCs), which exhibit unlimited self-proliferation. However, some cells, such as telomerase-deficient cancer cells, can add telomeric repeats by an alternative lengthening of the telomeres (ALT) pathway, showing telomere length heterogeneity. In this review, we focus on the mechanisms of the ALT pathway and potential clinical implications. We also discuss the characteristics of telomeres in PSCs, thereby shedding light on the therapeutic significance of telomere length regulation in age-related diseases and regenerative medicine.

Fat metabolism is associated with telomere length in six population-based studies

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ashley van der Spek ◽  
Hata Karamujić-Čomić ◽  
René Pool ◽  
Mariska Bot ◽  
Marian Beekman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fatty Acid ◽  
Telomere Length ◽  
Fatty Acid Metabolism ◽  
Dna Sequences ◽  
Acid Metabolism ◽  
Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Lipid Lowering ◽  
Independent Population ◽  
Metabolic Biomarkers

Abstract Telomeres are repetitive DNA sequences located at the end of chromosomes, which are associated to biological aging, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and mortality. Lipid and fatty acid metabolism have been associated with telomere shortening. We have conducted an in-depth study investigating the association of metabolic biomarkers with telomere length (LTL). We performed an association analysis of 226 metabolic biomarkers with LTL using data from 11 775 individuals from six independent population-based cohorts (BBMRI-NL consortium). Metabolic biomarkers include lipoprotein lipids and subclasses, fatty acids, amino acids, glycolysis measures and ketone bodies. LTL was measured by quantitative polymerase chain reaction or FlowFISH. Linear regression analysis was performed adjusting for age, sex, lipid-lowering medication and cohort-specific covariates (model 1) and additionally for body mass index (BMI) and smoking (model 2), followed by inverse variance-weighted meta-analyses (significance threshold pmeta = 6.5x10−4). We identified four metabolic biomarkers positively associated with LTL, including two cholesterol to lipid ratios in small VLDL (S-VLDL-C % and S-VLDL-ce %) and two omega-6 fatty acid ratios (FAw6/FA and LA/FA). After additionally adjusting for BMI and smoking, these metabolic biomarkers remained associated with LTL with similar effect estimates. In addition, cholesterol esters in very small VLDL (XS-VLDL-ce) became significantly associated with LTL (p = 3.6x10−4). We replicated the association of FAw6/FA with LTL in an independent dataset of 7845 individuals (p = 1.9x10−4). To conclude, we identified multiple metabolic biomarkers involved in lipid and fatty acid metabolism that may be involved in LTL biology. Longitudinal studies are needed to exclude reversed causation.

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